Drinking water quality in the indigenous community of Kara, Nicaragua

Abstract

In the indigenous community of Kara, residents obtain their water supply through hand-dug wells (HDWs), without bacteriological studies demonstrating their potability. The study consisted of evaluating the bacteriological quality of water for human consumption through physicochemical (pH, salinity, turbidity) and bacteriological analysis using the double-concentrated culture technique to detect the presence/absence (minimum E. coli analysis) in the water from three communal wells and three household wells. Compliance with Ministry of Health (MINSA) regulations Mandatory Nicaraguan Technical Standards (NTON) 09006–11 and 066 regarding the infrastructure and distance from sources of contamination in HDWs was also assessed. The study included the application of a survey format to residents to identify the types of water treatments applied in homes for disinfection. The results indicated that the wells did not meet the bacteriological quality standards, with E. coli present in the samples; In terms of infrastructure, only communal wells comply with MINSA regulations; all wells had at least one source of contamination at an impermissible distance. The majority of community members (75%) use commercial chlorine as a water disinfection mechanism; however, they do not comply with the minimum required dosage. Therefore, urgent water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions emphasizing proper chlorination and safe water management at the household level, along with structural measures to protect sources, are a priority.